When They Were Bad
by SushiChica
Summary: Accused of a double homicide they didn't commit, Raven and Starfire suddenly find themselves fleeing from their lives, their homes, and their hearts. Everything they once knew has been twisted by lies, and their only hope may not even exist. RS RaBB
1. Only a Dream

Vera Levi yawned, tapping her computer screen with a long fake fingernail. Totaling up the day's take was not exactly an enjoyable endeavor. She had always known working at the local convenience store would be tedious and boring, but she needed the money desperately if she wanted to keep attending college. If she went back to her mother and begged for cash, she'd be coming back a failure, something Vera's mother had always accused her of being. No, Vera Levi would make it on her own, without her mother's fortune, even if it killed her.

Vera Levi had no idea how right she'd be.

It was late; ten to midnight at least. God, how she hated pulling such late nights. Her calc homework was only half done, and that essay on the ethics of putting domesticated animals to sleep hadn't even been touched. It seemed that Vera's dreams of being a veterinarian would have to wait until she had enough money to pay the bills. At least there was always Bogie, the night watchman. He was posted there from ten at night till one in the morning, patrolling the rundown shop she worked at. Vera had no idea of why a convenience store needed to be guarded, but supposedly most thefts took place at stores such as these. There was low security, Bogie had explained, and a fair amount of cash. Bogie was always good for a laugh, and a laugh was exactly what Vera Levi needed right now, what with her head pounding from the day's stress. Perhaps she could call him in and see if he was up to talking for a bit…

Vera pulled open the window with her dark hands and peered out into the pitch black night.

"Bogie? Bogie, you out there?" There was no response. "Bogie?" Silence greeted the girl, and this worried her. Even if the security guard didn't feel like talking, he would usually at least tell her so. Vera's eyebrows knitted themselves together, curiosity getting the better of her. Closing the window and exiting the back room of the convenience store, she brushed her zillion braids behind her shoulder and stepped outside into the cold, early morning air. "Boge?" Vera caught a shadow moving to her left, and she followed it around the corner of the shop.

What she saw made her blood run cold.

"B…B…Bogie?" The lifeless body of the security guard lay spread eagle on the floor, the man's eyes wide and fearful. "Oh my God…BOGIE?" Vera Levi dropped to her knees beside the security guard, her heart now racing. There were no signs of a wound, yet the man was dead all the same. "…What happened to you?"

"I crushed his lungs." A monotonous voice sliced through the cold air and made a chill run down Vera's spine. "I crushed his lungs as my friend held him down, and we'll do the same to you." A giggle accompanied the alarming explanation. It was not the speaker who was laughing.

"It amuses me, how very weak you humans are." It was the voice that spoke now that had laughed so wickedly. Vera whipped around to see Bogie's attackers and nearly suffered a heart attack from shock.

"_You_? But…you're supposed to be the good guys!"

"Maybe…" The dark haired one whispered, her pale fists aglow with black magic. The taller girl's green eyes grew bright and a twisted smirk shadowed her tan face.

"Maybe not." The college student felt her arms being painfully twisted behind her back, and her breath came short.

"Do you feel that?" The first girl questioned, her glowing open hand slowly closing to form a fist. "That's your lungs being squeezed. Squashed. Ceasing to function."

Vera Levi closed her eyes and prayed this was a dream as her lungs burst. Sharp pain flooded her chest, and she knew from her high school human anatomy classes that she had mere seconds to live. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. These were two of the cities greatest protectors. They lived to defend and would never kill. It had to be a dream. It _was _a dream. There was no other alternative.

The end came anyway.

* * *

Raven awoke with a start. She'd just had…the most awful dream. It felt so real, though, as though she were actually there, bringing her hand together like that, with Starfire…

No. That wasn't possible. Even if Raven had somehow been possessed by Trigon and forced into doing such a terrible deed, Starfire would never do such a wickedly cruel thing. She was too innocent, too pure.

But Azar, how real that dream felt. She almost felt as though she really _had_…

No, she didn't. She wouldn't. The possibility was too gruesome to imagine.

Sliding out of bed, Raven decided that she needed a hot shower to clear her mind. Though the steaming water that spilled from the showerhead moments later was soothing and sharpened her dull morning wits, she couldn't get the image of those two dead bodies that _she_ had killed in her dream out of her head.

* * *

Starfire tumbled off her bed and hit the floor. Great way to start the morning, especially after a dream like the one she'd just had. It was strange, more like a vision than anything else, and a ghastly vision at that. At one moment, she had been dreaming of Tamaran and the Vegan star system, then suddenly she saw herself in the dark of the night with Raven, committing an act that Starfire didn't even want to think about. Yawning and brushing at her eyes with delicate fingertips, the alien princess picked herself up off the ground and began sifting through the contents of her closet. What the day held was beyond her, but something told Starfire that whatever happened would be exciting.

And she was right. There was just one thing she hadn't counted on. The excitement would turn to danger and evil, far surpassing her mind's comprehension at the time.

* * *

Love,  
SushiChica


	2. Of Bookstores and Training

_Its __lookin'__ like we're getting there  
Over here, __comin'__ clear  
Place that has no rhymes, or times, or crimes  
Just good times  
Just good times _

Take me away  
To a place where the good times, good times roll  
Don't let me stay  
In a place where this hate can steal my soul…

**--Good Times by Tommy Lee

* * *

**

Raven entered the living room of Titans Tower almost expecting something to be different, but everything was as it should be at seven thirty in the morning.

Quiet.

No one in the Tower was usually up around this time, with the occasional exception of Robin. He'd be in the training room, though, and would not disturb the empath during her sunrise cup of herbal tea. She found herself subconsciously humming a tune under her breath as she collected the simple materials needed to brew a comforting cup of the warm liquid. The water fell into the teapot from the gallon dispenser on the counter like Niagara Falls, gushing out with full force then slowing to a dribble.

"Oh come on…" Raven growled, still holding the silver kettle in place and grabbing a considerably sharp knife from a nearby drawer. She punctured the top of the gallon dispenser with a stab and a twist, allowing ventilation and a steady flow. Soon her water was boiling on the stove and the empath poured a carefully measured amount into her cup and popped her favorite teabag into the liquid. Savoring the aroma as it rose with the steam, she perched herself on a stool and took a small sip.

Perfect.

The state her mind was in, however, was anything but perfect. She couldn't stop seeing those bodies…the look of terror and betrayal in the girl's eyes as she, Raven, had slowly killed her was devastating. And then there was Starfire, her 'partner in crime', holding down the struggling man as he fought for air -and his life.

"Raven!" In an instant, the silence was shattered, as were her thoughts. For the first time, the empath was grateful for the interruption.

"Good morning Beast Boy. You're up early…" Raven smiled softly at her boyfriend of one month as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Yeah, guess so." The Changeling grinned sheepishly, making his way to the refrigerator. "Want some tofu?" He held out the package as though advertising it.

"I…" Raven couldn't help but chuckle at his odd antics. "Sure. Why not?"

"Yeah!" Beast Boy sliced the tofu package open with the same knife that Raven had used to vent the water container, draining all liquids from the tiny plastic casing then dumping the mound of tofu that was left onto a small dish. He sliced the white block into eighths, finally dropping the knife into the sink and pouring soy sauce over the meal the two were about to share. "Toothpick?" Beast Boy eagerly offered the empath one from the tiny container near the edge of the counter. She gingerly took it from him, then sunk it into one of the eight tofu pieces and stuck the soft food into her mouth.

"…Mm…" Raven smiled appreciatively and went back for a second cube. "The soy sauce is what makes it good."

"I guess so." Beast Boy stuffed two cubes in his mouth at once, using duel toothpicks. "If only the rest of the team…"

"Give up on them Beast Boy, they'll never come around after you forced them to eat your artichoke and tofu dish." Raven smirked.

"…You have a point…"

"I know." Silence settled between the couple as they slowly ate the shared the block of tofu. It wasn't a bad silence; more the kind when two people are simply enjoying a quiet moment alone with one another. Raven usually rather enjoyed it, however this morning was anything but _usual_. She was eager to get her mind off of the dream any way she could. "So…are we still going to the bookstore later this afternoon?"

"I invited you didn't I?" Beast Boy swallowed the last piece of tofu practically whole, tossing his toothpick into the trash.

"Why a bookstore? You don't even like books." Raven was curious in spite of herself.

"…Because _you_ like it there, Rae. I've seen you browsing through those mountains of novels." Beast Boy shrugged, taking the initiative to rinse the plate off and add it to the dish washer. "I'd take you out for some big fancy lunch if it'd make you happy, but I know that it wouldn't. You love that bookstore, Rae. It's what makes you happy, so I'll take you. You're at home there." The empath was touched by this gesture. On sudden impulse, she rose from her chair and caught Beast Boy in a passionate kiss.

"_You're _what makes me happy." Raven had broken the short embrace with a smile. "But thanks."

"No problem." Beast Boy smiled as well. "You're worth it."

"Am I?"

"Of course."

"Well…I…need to talk to Starfire. I'll see you around?"

"Well obviously." The Changeling laughed. "We live together."

"...I suppose we do, don't we? I never really thought about that. It's a nice feeling, knowing that we're all safe with one another, even in the darkest of nights." Raven was about leave, mug of tea in hand, when she turned around once again. "Beast Boy?"

"Yeah?"

"If…I did something…awful…unforgivable…would you still love me?"

"Why?" The Changeling looked at her oddly.

"Just…answer me…please?"

"I'm pretty sure I'll still love you, no matter what you do…" Beast Boy chose his words carefully. "But…I can't really say until the time comes now can I?"

"…I see." Raven bit her lip.

"What, planning a murder? Maybe two?" His words were playful, but Raven couldn't stop herself from flinching.

"I…no I…I need to speak with Starfire." The empath left without another word.

* * *

The Tamaranian princess in question had barely finished pulling her lengthy red hair into a high ponytail when she heard three successive knocks on her door.

"Come in!" Her voice was light and airy despite the weight on her mind. That dream was too real for her liking. The image of the two bodies had not left, but lingered to torment her. It was haunting that her head could even conjure such situations.

"You have plans for today?" Raven strode into the room without a word of greeting.

"Good morning to you as well, friend. Indeed, I will be training with Robin this afternoon." Starfire, well acquainted with the empath's often blunt manner, merely examined herself in the mirror with a critical eye while waiting for Raven to speak.

"Sorry, good morning." Raven shook her head, which was swimming with dark alleys, dead bodies, and dimly lit convenience stores. "I need to ask you something, and you have to give me a serious answer."

"Of course." The alien girl could sense the urgency in her friend's voice and turned from her reflection. "Ask whatever you wish."

"Did…did you have a strange dream last night?" Starfire tilted her head, as though deciding whether or not so say what was on her mind.

"…Yes, but why do you inquire such a thing? I have come to understand that dreams are as common to Earth people as they are to Tamaranians."

"They are, but this is different. Can you tell me what you dreamed?"

"I would rather not talk about it." Starfire adverted her gaze, now staring intently at her plush carpet.  
"Starfire, I need to know this."

"But…it could possibly be offensive to you…as…it concerned you…"

"Was I killing someone? Was I crushing a girl's lungs?" Starfire's head snapped upwards.

"How did you-?"

"I had the same dream."

"The girl worked at a convenience store in your dreams?"

"…Yeah. There were two bodies in yours? A man and a girl?"

"Correct. I held the girl down…" Starfire started, her eyes downcast once again.

"And I murdered her." Raven finished for her friend.

There was an awkward silence as the two contemplated the new information. "Starfire?"

"Yes?"

"…I'm worried about this. That dream was too real to just be some fabrication of our minds…and too similar for coincidence." Raven sighed, rubbing her temples slowly. "I can't get those dead bodies out of my head."

"Nor can I."

"Starfire, do me a favor today?"

"Of course. What is it that you wish me to do?"

"Stay on your guard. Something doesn't feel right." And, without warning, Raven rose and hugged Starfire tightly, an extraordinarily unusual occurrence. "Be safe."

"And you as well friend." Starfire returned the hug, wrinkling her brow. What on earth could have disturbed the emapth so much that she had given the alien girl a _hug?_ While admittedly, the dream was downright petrifying to both of the youths' minds, it couldn't really mean anything.

…Right?

* * *

Raven idly wandered the numerous bookshelves that were scattered tightly in her favorite bookstore café around mid-afternoon. Her eyes traveled along the spines of the books, finally settling on one that caught her interest and plucking it out of line. The empath read the back of the book and nearly snorted. The blurb sounded so corny that she doubted the book would be worth reading. Replacing the chunky paperback, she bit her lip and moved on, trying to stay away from titles would most likely involve dead people.

"Enjoying yourself?" Beast Boy stepped up to her shoulder, grinning.

"Yeah…I am. Where were you for the last ten minutes?"

"Just checking on things."

"…Okay…" Raven eyed her boyfriend oddly then smiled. "You want to get something from the café?"

"Would I!" The Changeling was already walking. "I'm starving!" By the time the couple had found a table, he had already eaten half of his vegetarian sandwich and drunk about a fourth of his soda.

"So." Raven carefully set down her second steaming cup of tea for the day and slid into her seat. "What exactly were you checking on?"

"You'll see." Beast Boy had a mischievous glint in his eyes until they fell on Raven's tea. "Do you ever eat solid food?"

"I ate some this morning didn't I?"

"Well…technically tofu isn't solid."

"What is it then?"

"…Wobbly."

"Sure. The five states of matter: solid, liquid, gaseous, plasma, and _wobbly_." Raven chuckled as Beast Boy rolled his eyes.

"Have I ever told you that you're too smart for your own good?"

"Nearly every day."

"Just making sure."

* * *

Robin smashed into the wall a whole lot harder than Starfire had intended for him to.

"Friend! I am so very sorry for what I have done! Are you injured?"

"Nah…" Robin winced as he rose, taking the hand that the alien girl offered. "I think I'm good."

"Do you wish to continue in this condition?"

"Yep." The Teen Wonder looked almost reckless, beckoning Starfire to come at him with a flick of his hand. They began again, trading punches and kicks and blocking each other's hits with such fierce intensity that it looked as though the two were performing some kind of exotic dance. There was only one rule in this match- no weapons or powers. Aside from that, they were to go at one another with full force. Holding back was not an option.

Starfire grunted as she took a hit to the gut, but redeemed herself when she tripped her friend and opponent and nearly made him fall. Her training with the Okaara Warlords hadn't been completely forgotten. The Tamaranian princess enjoyed the spars with her friend, as it was often when she felt closest to him. They were both battle-worthy, highly trained in more forms of martial arts then they could count on all their fingers combined. It was an adrenaline rush to fight the ward of Batman, and even with all her warrior's training, he never failed to surprise her with something new. It was these very thoughts which distracted Starfire long enough for Robin to trip her without opportunity to regain ground. The princess fell to the floor, chastising herself all the way down. The Warlords would've had her head for being so easily distracted had they been on Okaara.

"Come on Star. You can do better than that." The Teen Wonder grinned down at her, offering a hand up.

"Do not think you have beaten me just yet." Starfire remained on the floor regardless of Robin's extended hand of help.

"What do you mean? Now powers, so you can't fly up, remember?"

"When did I mention flying?" It was such and innocent question that it caught Robin off guard, and with one swift swing of her leg, he joined Starfire on the floor.

"Nice."

"Thank you. I believed it to be so as well."

* * *

"Okay, you ready to be astounded?"

"Um…that depends on your definition of astounded." Raven and Beast Boy stood outside an old antique shop in Jump City's northern district, a good three blocks from the bookstore. The building looked as though it would collapse from corrosion at any second.

"Come on, it's really cool." The Changeling dragged Raven in by the arm, pushing open the glass doors confidently.

"Beast Boy!" A man at the counter greeted warmly.

"We're here to see the…" Beast Boy tilted his head towards a door near the back of the store.

"Of course." The man lead the way, followed by the Changeling and finally Raven. He pulled out a set of heavy brass keys, handing them over to the pair. "Make sure you don't loose them." With a small wink, the man left them.

"Beast Boy, what are we doing here?" Raven felt completely bewildered.

"You tell me." Beast Boy smirked and handed over the brass keys. Confusion clouded the eyes of the young empath, but she took the metal objects and inserted them into the door, twisting the lock and pulling open the entryway. Her eyes fell on the objects inside the room and her mouth dropped open.

"Beast Boy…do you have any idea of what these are?" She strode inside, gingerly picking up one of the several rolled parchments in the room.

"A lot of rare and ancient books." The Changeling shrugged. "I'd done a _lot_ of internet research, and found out about this place and it's rare books room. I thought you'd like it."

"Beast Boy…I…these…these aren't just _books_ though! These are scrolls from hundreds of years ago…I've never even heard of half of these…" Raven's eyes went from confused to astounded. Her eyes scanned the text on one of the scrolls. "These are…absolutely amazing…" She suddenly placed the scroll back into its pile in the corner amongst all the other objects and grabbed Beast Boy in a tight hug. "Thank you…so much…these are…undoubtedly the rarest…some of these I've only read about in books and…it's simply incredible…" Raven finally let go and smiled softly. "Thank you for showing me these."

"Showing you?" Beast Boy grinned and gestured to the keys that were still in the empath's tapered fingers. "Those are your keys. You can't take any of this stuff out of this place, but you _can_ come in here whenever you want."

"Are you…I…" Raven's eyes flew from the keys in her hand to Beast Boy and back again. "I don't deserve you."

"Sure you do." The Changeling put an arm around her shoulder. "You gave me a chance when I asked you out, didn't you?"

"I…thank you." The empath placed her free hand on Beast Boy's cheek lightly and kissed him. Her fingers felt like sparks of fire on his skin.

God, he loved her.

And she loved him.

Getting torn apart by fate was not part of the plan.

* * *

"Pancakes or waffles?" Robin stood at the counter, fiddling with the pan and the waffle iron.

"The waffles sound enjoyable." Starfire smiled and watched with careful eyes as the Teen Wonder put down the pan and began pouring the already made batter into the pattered grid.

"Good workout today." Robin returned to the counter, smiling at the Tamaranian princess.

"Indeed. I believe that we are both improving."

"…You're a good sparring partner. Wanna do this again…I don't know, same time next week?"

"That would be most wonderful!" Starfire glowed at the prospect of spending more time with her best friend, never expecting that she'd be torn from everything she knew to be true and real before the next week came.

* * *

Love,  
SushiChica 


	3. Teal Rose

_Did you say everything you could?  
__Do the things that you thought you would?  
__Did it ever occur to you that this could be your final day?_

_Did you find what you're looking for?  
__Did you get your foot in the door?  
__Can you look at yourself and feel proud of all the things you've done?_

--** Did You by Hoobastank**

"_Welcome to FOX News Network. My name is Anna Vaughn and we have some breaking news for you at this hour. It's been reported that two bodies have been discovered behind a local convenience store in downtown Jump City. There were no signs of struggle and no evidence was found on the scene. The two bodies lacked traces of injury, but both persons were, indeed, dead. Joining us now is Chris Parker, our on-sight reporter. Chris?"_

Robin shut off the television before he heard any more, his head spinning. A double homicide? There were some sick people out there. He and Starfire had long ago finished their meal together, and now she was off somewhere outside, tending to the small garden that she had managed to coax out of the rocky dirt that made up Titans Island. She was an unpredictable one, that Starfire. Some things she was absolutely awful at, such as cooking foods edible for humans, yet at other things seemed to flourish at her hand, like the garden. As much as he didn't want to admit it to himself, Robin cared for Starfire; probably more than he should. And now here he was again, sitting on the couch and thinking of her when he could be doing something important. Did she really preoccupy him so much that he wasted precious research time sorting out his feelings for her?

Yes.

This couldn't be good.

* * *

"Enjoying yourself?" Starfire whipped around from her crouching position on the ground to see a grinning Cyborg.

"Indeed I am, friend! I have managed to cultivate this soil here so it is possible for plants to grow!"

"Well that's good. Nice to know you have something to work on around here." Cyborg bent down next to the alien girl clad in a tiny pair of jean shorts and a dirty white spaghetti strapped tank top. "See, I have my car, Raven has her books, Robin has his research, and now you have your garden. We all need something to take our mind off of crime fighting. With the obvious exception of Robin. His idea of taking his mind off of crime fighting is researching the criminals he could potentially be fighting soon. But he's just like that."

"You have forgotten to mention Beast Boy…?"

"His hobby is to annoy the hell out of us as we go about doing our personal activities." Starfire laughed. "Hey…what kind of flower is that?" The Tamaranian girl's eyes followed Cyborg's pointed finger to a blossom of deep teal coloring with violet specks surrounding the oddly shaped outer petals.

"That is a hyxven from my planet crossed with an Earth tulip. Do you enjoy it?"

"Yeah…" Cyborg smiled, leaning forward to examine the plant more closely. "It's really nice."

"Then it is yours!" Starfire plucked the blossom from the stem before her friend could protest.

"Star, you didn't have to…"

"Please, take it. You are my friend." The alien girl pushed the flower into the metal hands. "Take it to remember me by."

"Remember you? Where do you think you're going little lady?" Cyborg palmed the blossom delicately.

"I do not know. Wherever fate decides she will take me. I did not mean that I was leaving or anything of the sort!" Starfire reassured him hastily, smiling. "I simply wish for you to have it."

"I…thanks Star." Cyborg smirked at the odd but pretty plant in his hand. "I'm gonna go inside…work on my baby a bit…you know, the usual."

"Of course!" Starfire nodded in his direction as he rose. "I believe I shall continue with the plants for a while longer. They require much attention."

"I'm sure they do Star. I'm sure they do."

* * *

Raven and Beast Boy landed on the roof of Titans Tower, both their faces flushed with the rush of flying.

"I had a…a great time today. Thanks for everything." The empath pushed a lock of violet hair behind her ear. "You really didn't have to-"

"Too late." Beast Boy grinned and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "You should go back again sometime. Those ancient thingies will be there waiting for you to visit." The Changeling entered the interior of Titans Tower without another word. Raven, however, remained, holding the set of heavy brass keys to her heart.

She'd treasure them forever, never suspecting that in time they'd repeatedly save her life.

* * *

Robin had long since abandoned his position on the couch and had now moved to the kitchen counter, where he sat peeling an orange. Perhaps later he'd run through the training course a few times once he'd eaten.

A loud knock drew his attention from the fruit in his hands to the main door. Now who could that be? Sure, Raven and Beast Boy were out on their date, but they had keys and knew all the security pass codes. Surely _Raven_ of all people wouldn't forget such things. Perhaps Beast Boy, but not Raven. Rising from his seat, his mind still lightly lingering on Starfire to his dismay, the Teen Wonder strode to the door and opened it widely. There stood two females, dressed in similar grey suites, who looked only slightly older than he.

"Look, uh, I don't mean to be rude, but we don't do autographs or tours of the Tower or anything…"

"Oh, we're not fans." The first girl stepped forward, her silky brown hair hanging loosely over her shoulder. "Well, we are, but that's not why we're here." The second stepped forward.

"We're members of the FBI Homicide Department. My name is Minette, and this is my partner Sasha. May we come in to ask a few questions?" Robin was visibly taken aback at the twin badges suddenly in his face. Apparently they looked considerably young for their ages. After all, who'd ever heard of teenaged FBI agents?

"Uh…sure." The Teen Wonder stepped back a bit, so that he could see more than just the identification that was previously mere inches from his face. "The living room's to your left."

"Lovely." The girl called Sasha stepped into the room, carrying herself gracefully. Minette followed in much the same manner, her blond locks held away from her face in a high pony tail. A few thin wisps of hair seemed to have escaped, however, and hung over her eyes; not enough to impair her vision, granted, but enough to look as though she'd done it on purpose. Her stormy grey eyes swept the room as she went, taking in every last detail.

"Hey Rob! What's going on?" Cyborg entered from the garage, a grease stained towel draped over his shoulder and a puzzled expression on his face at the sudden arrival of the two girls.

"Did you happen to come across an article about a double homicide near a convenience store this morning?" Robin motioned the robotic man to join them.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with us?"

"Let's sit, shall we?" Minette shot her partner a sideways glance, then they both took seats on the couch and looked at the two male Titans present expectantly.

"We just need to ask you a few questions." Sasha examined her crimson nails with care, in an almost impatient manner. Cyborg and Robin sat in adjacent armchairs next to the couch.

"Go ahead." The Titans leader was thoroughly confused at why two FBI agents would be sent to interview _heroes_, of all people, about a double homicide but thought it best if they simply complied.

"Alright. There's not cause for alarm, just answer the questions to the best of your ability." Sasha smiled softly and took out a small recorder, placing it on the table and pressing the button marked with a tiny red dot.

* * *

Raven had always enjoyed sunset. It really was the best time of day. She now sat with her legs crossed and her hands resting gently on her knees, taking in the beauty of the darkening sky. Attached to her belt was the set of keys given to her by Beast Boy. They were just as beautiful as the aura the setting sun sent across the land, but a thousand times more precious. How _had_ she ended up with him as a boyfriend? She still vividly remembered her first day as a Titan, thinking nothing more of him than perhaps an agitating imbecile, to say the least. But as they fought their way through their earlier teen years, arguing with one another at every chance they got along the way, something had changed. Perhaps it was after the Malchior Incident, or maybe that whole Terra thing. After all, they'd both suffered a loss, and they'd both had their hearts shredded in two. That was enough common ground to get them started, and they seemed to have grown fonder of each other as the days went by. By the time Beast Boy actually worked up the nerve to ask the dark girl out, Cyborg was already constantly calling them 'the couple at war'. Though Raven would often lash out at her cybernetic friend for categorizing Beast Boy and her as such, she never really minded. At least, not enough to rationalize a good six months of lecturing Cyborg on what she had called his 'unjustified torment' when she accepted Beast Boy's first dinner invite.

The empath sighed as the sun finally disappeared behind the horizon, leaving a faint glow over Jump City. Time to go inside and face the chaos that surely waited. There was little doubt in her mind that Starfire had somehow tried to cook dinner once again, and there was often a high percentage rate of disaster concerning such things as that. Raven had scarcely put her hand on the door when she heard an unfamiliar voice behind her.

"You open that door, and I can almost guarantee that you'll be dead by midnight."

* * *

Starfire had just entered the living room of Titans Tower, mostly covered in dirt after a long period of time spent in the garden, when she noticed two very pretty girls who looked scarcely old enough to drive perched on the couch, their expressions grim. The blond one was saying something.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this. Right now they're our prime suspects, and we _must _detain them for questioning at our headquarters."

"Dude, you've got to be kidding me!" Beast Boy sprung from his seat in a kitchen chair, which he'd apparently pulled up to join the discussion. "I saw her last night myself! She said she was going to turn in early and read a book?"

"And what normal teenager turns in early to read a _book_?" The brunette was speaking now. Apparently no one had taken notice of the Tamaranian girl who still lingered in the doorway, listening.

"Well…Rae's not exactly…_normal_." Beast Boy looked slightly defeated, yet the blond smiled widely.

"Lovely! She's the daughter of a demon is she not?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"So that gives her a perfectly good motive. Perhaps she's decided to follow in her father's footsteps?"

"Then what do you have against Starfire?" Robin stood now, chewing on his lower lip. The eavesdropping Tamaranian girl's eyes grew wide. Was he standing up for her? Then again, what was she being accused of in the first place?

The awful dream that she hadn't given a thought to since morning was suddenly flashing brightly in her mind. But it had only been a dream, right?

"She comes from a hostile alien culture. Who _knows_ what kind of human-haters could have influenced her."

"Tamaranians are _not_ hostile!" Starfire suddenly felt herself shouting. Her eyes glowed brightly at the ill-mention of her people. How dare they insult the Tamaranian populace? All heads turned to her, including those of the two newcomers. They shot each other pleased glances, and the blond one greeted her with a wide smile, cold eyes, and a single word.

"Lovely."

* * *

Raven slowly turned around to see who had spoken to her. A girl who couldn't be older than twenty hovered a good three feet away from the Tower's edge, her feet firmly planted on some sort of mechanical device enabling her to remain airborne.

"Who are you?" It was the first and most obvious question that came to the empath's mind.

"That doesn't matter right now. What does is that I prevent you from getting yourself killed." The girl's voice was kind but terse, as though there was nothing more important than stopping Raven from entering her home.

"And I suppose you expect me to just instantly believe you?"

"You wouldn't normally, but you should."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm the only one who can save you. You and your friend Starfire." Raven remained steeled.

"Really?"

"Really." Despite the empath's reservations, the hovering girl looked sincere. Either she was out of her mind and _thought_ that the female Titans were in danger, or they really _were_ in danger. "There's something sinister at work around here. Right now, your male friends are being interrogated by two teenage girls claiming to be FBI agents. They aren't who they seem to be. They say that they're here on a double homicide investigation." Raven felt herself falter slightly, images from earlier that morning pouring into her mind like water, but the real blow came when the hazel eyed girl looked the empath dead in her pupil and commented quite plainly. "A double homicide which you incidentally dreamed about last night." Raven's eyes grew wide with shock. She asked her first question again; slowly and in a disbelieving tone.

"Who…are…you?" The hovering girl sighed, letting her forehead rest in the palm of one hand. The device that she stood upon moved forward and deposited her on the solid roof. She stepped off with ease, using the fingers that had cradled her head moments before to push back a lengthy lock of oddly azure colored hair.

"If you must know, my name is…" The girl grimaced, as though she were about to say something painful. "…Chanelle. Chanelle Lawrence. But please, God forbid, call me Chase. I can't tell you anything other than that now. You just have to trust me." There was something in the girl's eyes and voice that made Raven _want_ trust her, and Raven's faith did not go to just anyone. As an empath, that type of thing went a long way.

"Well then what do you expect me to do?"

"Get Starfire out of there. I she's in grave danger as we speak." Chase folded her hovering machine in half and attached it to the silver chained belt that hung around her waist over the jet black pants that adorned her lower body.

"How do I get Starfire out?"

"Do exactly as I say…"

* * *

Love,  
SushiChica 


	4. Hydrens

_I'm giving up, I'm giving up slowly  
__I'm blending in so you won't even know me  
__Apart from this horror that shares my fate_

_This one last boat you mentioned  
__It's my one last shot at redemption  
__Cuz I know to live you must give your life away_

**-- Be My Escape by Relient K**

Starfire stood stalk still as the two strangers' eyes traveled her being. Their inquisitive and cold stares sent chills up the alien girl's spine. These were not kind people.

"You're Starfire of Tamaran, are you not?" The blond called Minette eyed her inquisitively.

"…Yes…" Starfire had never felt so uncertain of herself. The boys had all turned to look at her, identical faces of disbelief plastered on their faces. Disbelief of what? Minette continued.

"Then, under the powers of the American Government and the Jump City FBI Homicide Department, you're officially under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can and will be used against you-"

"_What?_" Starfire's emerald eyes had gotten enormous. "I am unsure of what you accuse me of, but I assure you I am innocent!"

"Not by our books, love." Sasha's grim smile almost held a tinge of mirth, and Starfire suddenly felt very uneasy about her surroundings. Something didn't feel right. "We have evidence that you and Miss Raven Roth are members of the guilty party, and thus we have the right to take you in for questioning. I'm afraid if you resist, we'll have to use force…"

"Of _what_ guilty party to you speak? I assure you, friend Raven and I have _no_ alliance to them!" The alien princess was near frantic now.

"What kind of evidence?" Robin stood up, his expression hard.

"Video evidence." The room fell silent as Minette, who'd obviously chosen to answer only Robin's question, spoke. "There was a surveillance camera at the scene, and, despite the darkness, the figures are obviously of Starfire and Raven."

"Show us the tape." Now Beast Boy was standing. "You're not taking Rae and Star based on some phony story about video evidence."

"Yeah, and who knows what you could do once you have them." Cyborg looked just as defiant as his two male teammates.

"They never mentioned anything about a video on the news report…" Robin eyed the newcomers coldly. Both Minette and Sasha let out highly exaggerated sighs.

"The FBI is still investigating, so we haven't released it to the press, but if you really want to see it…" The brunette pulled a tiny laser disk out of her pocket and handed it over to Robin, who popped it purposefully into the main computer. There was a hush that fell over the room as the machine processed the new information, partly from fear and partly from expectancy. Finally, the screen flickered to life, and the picture that appeared was more terrifying than anything that anyone present had ever seen.

Starfire took one look and let a high pitched scream erupt from her mouth.

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Raven looked at the mysterious girl called Chase skeptically.

"No," Chase admitted with hollow eyes, "I'm not. I don't even know if we can get her out alive. The least we can do is try. Please," the azure haired girl gave Raven a pleading stare, "you have to trust me."

"How do I know this isn't a setup and that you're not working for whoever's down there with Star? How do I know that there's someone even down there right now? Maybe you're just trying to distract me from something else…"

"_You're running out of time!_" Chase's voice was so pained that Raven was inclined to do exactly as she'd commanded moments earlier, but falling for an act was not something Raven was about to do. "_Save her!_"

"I want proof." The empath remained a staunch cynic. "I want some way to tell you're not lying." Chase let out an aggravated moan.

"Fine, _fine_, but if your friend dies, it's her blood on your hands, not mine." But the azure haired girl's eyes were still urgent. Quickly, she pulled off the black gloves that she wore, exposing both her wrists. "There's your proof." Raven peered closer, and one brief look made it obvious what Chase was trying to show her. On her wrists were two identical scars that took the shape of flowers, but not of any breed that the empath had ever seen before. They almost resembled something that would come from Starfire's garden.

"What…?"

"They're hydrens," Chase clarified before Raven could complete her question, "flowers of sleep and…and of nightmares."

"What do they mean?"

"We don't have time for botony lessons right now!" Raven gave Chase a skeptic glare, and with a frustrated scream the newcomer explained. "They mean that I was tricked by those two witches down there, it nearly killed me, and your friend is about to become another one of their victims if we don't _help her_."

"I…" Raven bit her lip worriedly.

"_Stop hesitating and DO something! Your friend is going to die!_" Chase's eyes were brimming with tears. "I _swear_ I'll explain to you later. Just please…_save her_." Against her better judgment, Raven crumbled.

"I'll be back." And with that, the empath sunk into the floor. As she slowly disappeared, Chase pulled her hovering device from her chained silver belt and fired it up.

"I'll be watching."

* * *

"Starfire? Are you okay?" Robin's expression contorted at his friend's sudden outburst. There was no doubt about what was on the screen. The undeniable figures of Starfire and Raven, one standing and one kneeling. In between them was a frightened looking girl. It was the exact way they'd been in her dream.

"I…I am…well…I simply…I…" Starfire willed herself to stay calm. Her warrior's sense was going insane, buzzing angrily at the base of her skull. There was something very wrong with this whole situation. "I am simply…terrified that Raven and I could be implicated with such an awful thing, and to have someone set up a video…"

"Set up?" Minette laughed, her voice airy and fake. "I don't believe you understand the implications of this tape, which _was_ found in the surveillance camera outside the convenience store."

"You're under _arrest_." Sasha stood and pulled a pair of threatening looking handcuffs from her inner jacket. "Now, whether you come peacefully or forcibly…that's up to you."

"I shall…I…" Starfire was all too aware of the male Titans' careful eyes, watching her intently, when her expression suddenly changed altogether. She seemed oddly alert and, as anyone would be in such a situation, particularly afraid. "I…am in need of using the restroom. Yes, that is what I need. I will…_willingly_ go with you, if you merely wish to question me…but I really must take care of…natural business. I am quite sure you understand." Starfire attempted to look pleasant, smoothing her purple skirt and tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear.

"Of course! That's only normal. Studies show that stress and…_guilt_ often cause your bladder-"

"_Sasha._" Minette shot a dark glare at her partner, clearly telling her to shut up. The blond laughed uneasily and composed herself.

"However, I'm afraid I'll have to escort you there and back, to make sure you don't try to…escape." Sasha scratched delicately at her cheek with one of her crimson talons, somehow managing to leave her foundation intact.

"Very…very well." Starfire inhaled deeply, then began to walk to the hall door. She turned back to find Sasha slowly following. "It is this way."

"No need to prompt, love. I'm coming." With what seemed to be an out of place hesitation, the FBI agent followed Starfire through the door.

* * *

The boys were left to stare after her in disbelieving awe.

"Are you two sure that the tape is reliable?" Robin's tone was critical, almost to the point of admonishment. His mind simply would not allow himself to accept the images on the screen.

"Quite sure. Our detectives found it there this morning. There is no doubting this tape." Minette absentmindedly played with her hair as she spoke, as though apprehending world-renown superheroes was part of her daily schedule.

"Could it have been planted?" Beast Boy sat rigid, his eyes alert. He knew Raven was up on the roof but he wasn't exactly willing to give up his girlfriend's location to these…people.

"We've had all the top forensics labs run tests on it." Minette's voice was pressing. "It's authentic."

"Can I see it?" Cyborg moved to take the tape from the FBI agent's tapered fingers, but she rapidly drew it close to her chest in a defensive motion.

"Absolutely not!" She slapped away his outreached hand. "This tape is FBI property and-"

"If you want to know where Raven is," Beast Boy challenged, his eyes pained, "then give Cyborg the tape. We're not handing our friends over without real proof."

"Oh…" Minette glowered at the three boys in front of her.

"We've handled government evidence before," Robin pointed out, "and nothing's ever gone wrong. So if your tape is authentic and you have nothing to hide, then let us have it."

"Something to hide…?" The blond laughed heartily, and rather unconvincingly. "Why on Earth would you think that?"

"Then hand over the tape." Cyborg, who had spoken, rose to stand beside his two friends who had formed something of a barricade before Minette.

"…Fine. Fine. Look all you want, but I assure you you'll find it to be credible evidence." The cybernetic man shot a look over his shoulder as he strode to the computers.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

Starfire's head was pounding and thoughts were swirling, and only half of it had been caused by seeing that terror of an act again, performed by _herself_, of all people. The other half, coincidentally, had muddled her senses and confused her. What exactly had been done to cause such perplexity?

Well, the voices in her head, for one thing.

As soon as she's calmed down from seeing the tape of the killing for the second time, she'd heard a monotonous voice in her head, slowly and carefully spelling out instructions to her.

_You have… get to…bathroom, Starfire. Go to the bath… Whatever it takes… must make it there, or else...will die._

Such thoughts continued to captivate her mind, repeating the same warning and instructions over and over. It was as though the connection between this voice and her head, however, was not as good as one would have liked to think, as words seemed to be missing from each sentence. Starfire got the gist of it though.

Get to the bathroom, _now_, lest you suffer a terrible fate.

But then Starfire was forced to question her sanity. Had the situation pushed her mind over the edge? She'd read about such things happening to humans when stress was built up, but she had no idea that it could happen to aliens as well. Perhaps she'd missed that part in the reading?

Then again, human books didn't speak of alien psychology all that much.

The same message kept replaying over and over again in Starfire's head.

_Get…bathroom. Trust…Star…you're in…Get out…It's Raven, an-_

Starfire's breath had caught in her throat when she heard that. Raven was messaging her telepathically! But…her empathic friend was powerful enough to teleport, so how was it that their mind link was so weak? No time to question it now. It appeared that Starfire was going to have to abandon everything and just go with the voice in her head.

And so here she was, having a lovely stroll with an FBI officer who Starfire was extremely suspicious of to the main bathroom on that floor.

"Look, before you go in, there are some security measures we have to take." Sasha had pulled out a bulky metal hoop and a square device, attaching the object to Starfire's wrist before the Tamaranian princess got a chance to protest. It fit perfectly, as though it had been tailored to fit her. "Now this is going to sting a little…" Starfire felt a sharp pain scurry up her arm and throughout her entire body, but she held in the squeak that had built up in her throat. She was not about to give in to this woman. "There. It's a tracing device, so if you run we won't be far behind." Sasha's sweetly spoken words were laced with venom. "So my advice to you is simple: _don't run_. You won't like the results, I promise." The boxy device in her hand beeped, almost smugly, and read out in a mechanical voice:

"_Download complete. Princess Starfire of Tamaran registered._" With a nasty smile, the FBI agent crossed to the other side of the hall to wait.

Starfire entered the bathroom with slight hesitation, as would you if you'd followed the advice of a voice in your head. The area seemed empty enough, until Starfire felt someone slap a secure hand over her mouth and pull her away from the closed door. Starfire tried to scream, but it came out inaudible.

"Shut up!" The voice of Raven entered Starfire's ear in a hissed whisper. "It's me. Relax." Starfire's tensed body loosened at the familiar monotone and her friend released her.

"Raven, what is it that is happening? And why have you summoned me to a restroom facility? And why is it that the connection between us was considerably weaker than it usually is? And why-"

"Hush!" Raven directed a silencing glare at Starfire and the alien fell silent. "Listen carefully to me. A girl approached me on the roof and…"

* * *

"I…I can't believe it." Cyborg stepped back from his computer, stunned.

"Can't believe what? The fact that we were right?" Minette rolled her eyes and pushed back her hair. "As if that surprises me."

"What'd you find, Cy?" Robin neared his half robotic friend with a curious yet anxious expression. Beast Boy was not far behind.

"I've run every test and scan I could possibly think of on this thing, and it's come up clean." Cyborg sat back in his chair, the tape in his one hand and his head cradle in the other. "Dawgs…this tape is the real deal."

"So you're saying that…?" Beast Boy's eyes were enormous.

"Yep. That's exactly what I'm saying."

"_She's flown the coop!_" Sasha barreled into the room at an inhuman speed, drawing the gun from her hip holster.

"Sasha!" Minette barked at her partner, drawing her sidearm as well. "Remain calm! Did you get the…tracer on her?"

"Yes!" Sasha pulled a tiny, square device from her pocket and it to Minette. "There."

"Excellent." Minette looked as though she couldn't be more pleased with this latest occurrence.

"What happened?" Beast Boy bolted forward, "What's going on?" The other two boys were close at hand.

"Your _innocent_ friend Starfire…" Minette grinned in such way that it sent shivers up all the Titans boys' spines, "She's just escaped the Tower."

* * *

"And you truly _trust_ this girl? Raven, I am surprised at you! How is it that you lay your conviction in this _stranger_?" Starfire looked appalled as her friend attempted to roughly explain what was going on to the best of her ability.

"Shush!" Raven's eyes darted fearfully toward the door. "We can't afford to be overheard."

"But…this is quite 'insane' as you humans say! First I am being arrested for a crime that we did not commit, and now an utter stranger wishes to help us?" Raven hadn't seemed to have heard Starfire's rant; her gaze was focused on the silver hoop that encircled her alien friend's wrist.

"What is that?" The empath pointed at the unfamiliar device.

"A tracer of sorts, the one called Sasha had told me." Starfire whispered back, raising her wrist to eye level for further scrutiny.

"We're going to have to get rid of that." Raven reached out to touch it and, in turn, deactivate it with her powers.

"_Don't touch it!_" There was a large blast and a large portion of the wall quite literally fell away, revealing the sunset drizzled ocean an azure haired girl on a hover board. It was too late, though; Raven had already clasped the silver object in both hands. Before anyone could react, the hoop beeped thee successive times, somehow managed to widen, and slid right onto Raven's waiting wrist, shrinking again to fit the width difference. The empath groaned as she felt a sharp, stinging pain beginning at her wrist and crawling its way up her arm and throughout her body. Two seconds later, she'd fallen to the ground, out cold.

"What has happened?" Starfire's eyes were wide and frantic, "Why has she fainted! I did not faint when…"

"It's because that thing was made for aliens. Her human half probably couldn't take the charge_. She wasn't supposed to touch the tracer_…" the azure haired girl rapidly landed on the ground, using the large chunk of missing wall as an entryway into the tower, and slid to Starfire's side before the princess had even gotten the chance to ask how she'd known that Raven was only half human. "Give me your wrist."

"What is it that you ask?" Starfire was now frantic and utterly confused.

"_Give me your wrist!_" The girl grabbed it before the alien girl even had a chance to agree or disagree. "Dammit…" the newcomer whispered, and Starfire gasped as her eyes fell on a design carved into her skin, sluggishly bleeding now that it had been uncovered, of a plant only too familiar to her.

"The hydren? The flower of nightmares? What…how…?"

"Shut up! There's no time to explain! Take this!" the girl shoved a hovering device similar to her own at Starfire's hands. As Starfire looked it over, the newcomer pulled out a small device and jammed it into the metal hoop on Raven's arm. The entire gadget danced with electric sparks before it shorted entirely and fell off of the empath's wrist.

"But…I am not in need of such innovations. I assure you that I am able to fly-"

"Not anymore you can't." The new girl hefted Raven into her arms and hopped onto her hover board and rose into the air.

"What do you mean, I cannot fly?" Starfire was utterly befuddled. This was simply too much for one day.

"I mean that you _can't fly_." The azure haired girl's eyes softened at the stricken look on Starfire's face. "See that hydren on your wrist?" The Tamaranian princess' gaze drifted downward to look at the fresh wound in her skin, still slowly dripping blood. "Trust me when I say that it means that you no longer possess the ability to fly."

"But…" The pretty redhead felt so overwhelmed, she could scarcely breathe. Tears were ebbing at her eyes, but before any of them could spill, the new girl lowered her hover board and pulled Starfire to her feet.

"My name is Chase, and right now, I need you to _trust me._" And as the Tamaranian slowly took the hand that was offered to help her up, she noticed an identical design on this newcomer's wrist, only hers had healed and become a scar. Without saying another word to one another, both mounted their hover boards and took off out the gaping hole in the wall, Raven still hanging limply in Chase's arms.

* * *

Sasha grinned widely when she'd heard the explosion. It was exactly as Minette had said; at least one of them would try to escape. Good thing they'd programmed the power-absorbing bands to wait six minutes before draining the wearer of their special abilities. It made framing these girls so much easier. Without bothering to check the bathroom, the blond FBI agent broke into a run, speeding through the door to the recreational area with her gun drawn.

"_She's flown the coop!_"

"Sasha!" Minette had sent her a sharp glare, reminding her to act professional. "Remain calm! Did you get the…tracer on her?"

"Yes!" Sasha yanked the tiny square device from her suit pocket and tossed it to her partner. "There."

"Excellent." Whenever Minette was happy with recent development, she practically purred her words. Right now, she was purring.

"What happened?" The little green boy had approached the pair of FBI agents with his friends trailing behind him, "What's going on?"

"Your _innocent_ friend Starfire…" Sasha allowed herself a smile that would have intimidated most professional wrestlers, "She's just escaped the Tower."

"That's preposterous!" Minette suddenly whirled around, the small, square device in her hands. "Her…tracer isn't moving from the bathroom. What _are _you talking about, Sasha?" The set death glare Minette told the brunette that she'd better have an explanation, and fast.

"I don't understand!" Sasha snatched the boxy device. Indeed, the tracer dot that indicated Starfire was still positioned in the bathroom. "I heard an explosion and…"

"Did you check the bathroom?" Minette's glare was pure ice.

"N…no…I simply assumed…"

"The first rule of life in the crime world," Robin stepped forward, his voice stony, "is to assume nothing."

"Yes but…"

"C'mon, y'all!" Cyborg charged for the bathroom, and soon the entire group was running in a clumpy race to see who would reach the vicinity first.

Sasha and Minette got there first.

"Look," the blond pointed to the floor, where a shiny metal object lay, belching tiny clouds of grey smoke. Sasha bent down and carefully picked it up, muttering obscenities to herself as she went about her work.

"What…what is it?" Beast Boy was the first to have recovered from the sight of the gaping hole in the wall, though the two FBI agents didn't seem to be surprised in the least about that. Their astonishment seemed to be aimed at the bulky silver hoop.

"It's…it's a...tracer…" Sasha's eyes were wide, "They're impossible to get off without the right equipment…" The shock the two partners shared slowly became sinister smiles.

"It seems that this girl has had…_assistance_."

"What about Raven?" Cyborg demanded, passing off the brunette's comment with a wave of the hand.

"What about her? She's still under arrest, whenever we find her." Minette's gaze panned the room to survey the damage. Suddenly, a shrill beeping noise emitted from the tracer device in her hands. A mechanical voice spoke:

"_Download complete. Raven Roth of the dimension of Azarath registered._" A silence settled on the room, but Minette did not like silences.

"Well," she said, obvious annoyance crossing her brow, "it seems that both of your…friends have escaped us."

Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy inwardly wondered why the escape of Starfire was almost like an extra slice of cake to this woman, but the escape of Raven disturbed her.

_We were supposed to get one of them!_ Sasha and Minette both internally reprimanded themselves. _Now_ they _have them both!_

The only comfort that the two girls had was that both their victims had become just as powerless as all the others.

Love,  
SushiChica

**SUSHICHICA'S MASS UPDATE LIST:**

_Teen Titans:_

-Faith: Sequel to ExBoyfriend (Romance/Drama; seventh chapter) **updated.**

-When They Were Bad (Action/Adventure/Drama; fourth chapter) **updated.**

-Fly (Romance oneshot) **posted.**

-The Fight for Starfire (Humor/Romance oneshot) **to be posted. **

-Documentary of Titans Tower (Humor/General oneshot) **to be** **posted.**

_Code Lyoko:_

-One of the Boys (Romance/Drama; first chapter) **to be** **posted.**

-Ringing in the New Year (Romance/Humor oneshot) **to be** **posted.**

Get moving people! You've got a LOT of reading ahead of you!

XD

Kidding.

Read what sounds interesting to you.

And have FUN everyone!


	5. A Minute Past Twelve

_Fear falls hard like rain again  
__Washing over me  
__You say nothing will ever change  
__What to I believe?_

_You fall deep inside again  
__Nothing left to see  
__Weakness fills you heart again  
__You put it to rest_

**--Photograph by 12 Stones**

Raven hesitantly awoke with a harsh light glaring down at her. She felt aches and pains in places she didn't even know existed, but her wrist stung worse than anything else. As her eyes attempted to adjust to her surroundings, a thousand questions flooded her mind. Where was she? Why was she here? Where was Starfire? What was all the technical equipment that surrounded her? Why was there a girl with blue hair couched down by one of the cabinets that lined-

The girl with the blue hair!

Raven jolted upward, every limb screaming in pain at the sudden movement, and managed to gracefully collide with the bright lamp that hung above her on the way up. With a thud and an aggravated moan, the empath sunk back into her original horizontal position. The girl with the azure hair…Chase, she'd called herself, had now turned away from the cabinet whose contents she'd been examining and was watching Raven with amused eyes.

"Take it easy, girl You only just woke up." Chase, who looked no older than nineteen, cocked her head to the side and carefully looked the dark girl up and down, as though giving her a once-over for the very first time. "Feeling the burn?" Raven would've laughed had she not been concentrating so hard on fighting the pain that seemed to inhibit every part of her body with every breath. She struggled out a reply.

"You have…no idea."

"You'd be surprised." The azure haired girl rolled her head back, and Raven heard a few unpleasant cracks. "I felt the exact same way when I was branded…if not worse."

"Branded?" The empath croaked, struggling upward and attempting to ignore the sharp stabs she felt…everywhere. Despite her fight, tears ebbed at the edges of her eyes. She refused to let them fall.

"I'd stop moving if I were you," Chase moved from the edge of the room for the first time, her chain belt clinking as she came near the light. "You're only making it harder on yourself." She took note of the shine in Raven's eyes that the empath was so desperately trying to blink away. Chase smiled at this. "You're stubborn." Before Raven could respond, the door to the far left slid open and a teenaged boy who looked about a year older than chase carrying a vial halfway filled with a wine colored substance in one hand and adjusting his wire rimmed glasses with the other.

"Here. It's the first batch that tested positive," he handed the tiny glass tube to Chase, then let his eyes wander to Raven. "Uh…should she be…y'know…moving?"

"Hey, lay off. She's fighting it," the azure haired girl gave Raven a small smile, as though she were sharing a secret. "Don't mind Seth-the-Douche. He's one hundred percent safe, I promise."

"Mmhmm…" the empath shook her head slowly, eyes now shut tight. The pain was getting to her whether she liked it or not. It felt as though someone were meticulously slicing her flesh into bits, then burning the pieces all at once. She could feel herself slumping forward, but a strong arm caught her.

"Oh, honey…" Chase's voice floated through Raven's head. Her vision was shot…all she could see was fuzzy blobs of color, and even those were fading fast. Ever so carefully, Chase tipped the empath's head back, muttering the words '_drink up_' softly, then poured the contents of the vial down Raven's throat. The dark girl was out before she had a chance to protest that her mouth was not a place to test strange, wine colored fluids. The last thing she could remember hearing was Seth's voice, confident and reassuring.

"Don't worry. You're safe here."

* * *

"Raven…Raven, are you well?" Something soft tickled Raven's nose, causing her to crack a single eye open. Above her stood Starfire, her red hair cascading into Raven's face and a concerned expression in her eyes. 

"Starfire…" the empath pushed herself upward slowly until she sat upright on the flat table on which she'd lain. Immediately, she was aware that the pain from her previous venture into consciousness had dulled considerably. It hadn't exactly vanished altogether, but at least she was able to move without the uncanny urge to cry. Something about the room didn't seem right, though. The area around her felt oddly…dry.

"You are…better, yes?" Starfire had moved to the side to allow Raven to sit up, and now made to help her friend off the table. The dark girl teetered on her unstable feet for a few seconds before slumping back against her padded table for support.

"My head feels like someone dropped an anvil on it, and my wrist feels as though I've tried to commit suicide and failed…" Raven shivered at the still all-too-obvious pain that throbbed there, under a clean linen bandage. She noticed that Starfire wore a similar wrap around her own wrist, "Multiple times. But yeah, I guess I do feel better than before." Starfire nodded slowly.

"That is, indeed, good," a silence settled between the two friends, Raven still leaning on the table and Starfire a mere two feet away, biting her lip almost anxiously.

"Starfire?"

"Yes, Raven?"

"…Where are we?" Starfire sighed as though she'd been both expecting and dreading the question that Raven now proposed.

"That is…complicated. I will not explain it to you, as I fear I may blunder the account. Chase and Seth were expecting you to awaken quite soon, and thus a meeting has been set for half an hour hence in the conference room at the end of the hall. I must…take care of something, but I shall be present for the meeting." There was something different about Starfire's voice, something…hollow. "Please, do not hesitate to utilize any of the facilities around you. The room you shall be staying in is three doors down the hall on your left. Go there if you wish." For an instant, her tone soften and she suddenly enveloped Raven in a tight hug.

"Close…physical…contact…" Raven weakly protested, but her words had no effect. When Starfire drew away, her expression had, if possible, become even more forlorn.

"My friend, close physical contact will soon be the least of your worries." On that cryptic note, Starfire left Raven to her own jumbled thoughts.

* * *

The auburn haired Tamaranian scurried down the corridor and entered a tiny, brightly lit room labeled "LAB" on the door in large black letters. On the table, she spotted a four by six rack of glass vials, each one half way filled wit a wine colored fluid and labled with a noticeable blue plus sign near the tube's lip. 

"Should it not be about time…?" Starfire gasped and her blood ran cold as a scaly green hand grabbed her shoulder tightly. The pretty green eyed girl felt her fingers gripping the table in front of her, knuckles turning white. She fought desperately to keep her breathing steady, on the verge of hyperventilation.

_It is not there…it is not truly there…_

She repeated the words in her mind over and over again, but the pressure on her shoulder was building, the hand digging into her flesh. Releasing a slight whimper, Starfire turned around. Behind her, a hulking Gordanian warrior stood, a murderous and almost lustful look in his eyes.

"No," she whispered to herself, "no…it is not there. It does not exist. It is a product of—" the punch that connected with her jaw felt pretty real to her. Starfire fell to the floor, wincing as something lashed across her back. Again. And again. The Gordanian behind her laughed, as though he fed on her pain for enjoyment.

With nothing left to her, the Tamaranian princess screamed.

* * *

After several messy attempts, Raven seemed to gain full control of her body once again. Her gaze swept the room, and judging by the equipment that surrounded her, she seemed to be in some kind of medical ward. What room had Starfire said was hers? Three doors to the left. 

Or had it been to the right?

Didn't matter, Raven decided. If one was wrong, the other would be correct. She stumbled unstably to the door, which slid open as she neared. A long, cold hallway lay before her, bathed in a tinny blue light. The empath stepped forward uncertainly, attempting to familiarize herself with a completely new area. She strode forward with a bit more confidence than she'd had before, counting three doors down. There she stopped, debating whether to go left or right. She could've sworn Starfire had said left, and yet she'd just woken up at the time…her mind had still been rather groggy. Going against her first impulse, Raven crossed to the door on the right and let it slide open…

To reveal a rather heated make-out scene between Seth and Chase, who sprang about three feet away from one another upon discovery.

"Raven!" Chase frantically combed at her azure hair in some kind of attempt to make it look as though Seth hadn't been running his hands through it mere moments earlier. "I'm so glad that you're awake!"

"Yeah…er…feeling better?" The bespectacled boy wore a lopsided grin on his face, not unlike the expression a small child would have employed after being caught doing something particularly mischievous. Raven didn't answer, her eyes wide and almost frightened. There it was again, that dry feeling, only this time the empath knew that this dryness could only mean one, terrible thing.

:"What's wrong?" Chase looked concerned. "I mean, I'm totally sorry for you having to see us…uh...you know…" she shrugged uncomfortably, "but I'm sure you've seen—"

"It's…not that," Raven shook her head slowly, as though in a trance.

"Are you seeing things? Things that shouldn't be there?" Seth asked, stepping forward. "Do you see thinks that frighten you?"

"Seeing things that frighten me?" Raven repeated, not being able to keep the bewilderment from her features.

"I'll take that as a no…"

"What is it, Raven? Honestly, you look like a snake bit you or something," Chase moved towards Raven and placed her fingertips on the empath's palm, but Raven pulled her hand away sharply, letting a gasp escape her.

"Chase…Chase, I can't feel."

"You…can't feel. You're numb?"

"No, I'm an empath. And right now, I can't feel your emotion, even when you touched me. Either you turned into a rock, or…" Raven fell silent as she watched Chase and Seth exchange nervous glances. "…When I walked in here, I should've felt an overflow of love…or, at least, lust. Something. Anything." Raven rubbed the place where Chase had touched her. "Everything felt dry."

"…I think it's time we had that meeting," Seth raked a hand through his moppish brown hair. "I'll get Starfire and we'll talk everything over."

Just as he moved to leave, a scream erupted from down the hall.

* * *

The lab door burst open and Raven, Chase, and Seth piled into the room to find Starfire on the floor, eyes clenched shut and her body jolting in a timely fashion, as though she were being whipped at a steady pace. 

"Starfire…" Raven watched as her two new acquaintances rushed to her old friend's aid, Chase grabbing a vial of burgundy liquid from a rack of what seemed to be multiple samples of the substance and Seth pulling the Tamaranian up from the floor, forcing her mouth open so that Chase could pour the fluid down. In an instant, the panic was over and Starfire lay unconscious in Seth's lap.

"…We'd better get her to her room," Chase decided calmly, as though nothing of particular significance had occurred. "She knows everything anyways, so no need to put off the meeting for her sake… "

Once Starfire had been relocated to her living quarters, which turned out to be right next to Raven's room, the three made their way down the hall to the conference room.

"Would either f you care to explain what the hell just happened in there?" The empath snapped, sitting in one of many chairs that bordered a long glass table, on which several stacks of paper lay scattered about.

"Same thing that'll happen to you if you're not careful," remarked Seth before Chase jabbed him in the ribs. The azure haired girl turned to give a better explanation, but Raven continued.

"And why can't I feel? I know you know…I can see it in your eyes. The whole world seems dry to me, and I want to know why. And why am I here? Where…_is_ here? My mind feels as though it's going to explode because of all these—"

"Questions," Chase broke in, "yes, I know you have a lot, and Seth and I will answer them all. To begin, you should probably just know one thing straight. Your powers? They're gone, and you're not getting them back any time soon…possibly not ever."

"…Way to break it to her easy, Chay," Seth rolled his eyes. Raven, however, didn't appear to be all that surprised.

"I figured that out when your excessive lusting earlier didn't make me keel over and die," she said dryly, brushing back a lock of violet hair. "What I want to know is _how_ I lost my powers."

"The band that branded you back at Titans Tower," Chase selected a sheet from the table, gave it a quick look, then slid it over to Raven. "In addition to slicing a lovely design on your wrist, which is why we wrapped it, the cuff absorbed your powers and instilled a nightmare drug in your bloodstream…one that we've been able to counteract but not cure." The empath arched an eyebrow as she scanned the diagram of the shining chrome band that she only half remembered, sparing a glance at her wrist and the bandage that still encased it.

"So Starfire…"

"Was seeing and feeling the thing she fears above all else," Seth adjusted his glasses before continuing. "I was able to develop a serum that prevents these 'living nightmares,' so to speak, for a period of twelve hours. After that, they're bound to show up at any time. Starfire obviously went over her twelve hours."

"You keep saying that I've been…_branded_," Raven tapped a fingernail on the glass table, "and that I've had some design sliced onto me. What—"

"Look for yourself," Chase gestured sadly at the tightly wound bandage around Raven's arm. "It should be okay to take it off now."

With an almost lingering fear that Raven could not remember feeling since the scary movie she'd watched with the Titans so long ago, she stripped off the linen cloth and allowed her gaze to sweep the now exposed skin of her wrist…

And the scabbed design of a beautiful flower etched just below the heel of her palm.

Love,  
SushiChica


End file.
